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Original poster

Maclaren Quest/Triumph?Chicco XPlorer? Opinions wanted please!

30 replies

marthamoo · 26/01/2004 12:07

I'm going to buy a new pushchair for ds2 (2) and this HAS to be the last one so I need to get it right. I want it to be lightweight, manouverable, have at least one reclining position, and a decent raincover.

Can't decide between Chicco XPlorer (cheapest - £40 in Argos), Maclaren Quest (£100 in Mothercare, which is too much, but £60 on Kiddicare), or Maclaren Triumph (£70 in Mothercare). Have heard the Maclaren Toledo is unstable and tips up easily - was wondering how the Quest and the Triumph compare. Also both Maclaren ones have TINY wheels - is that a problem? (am in a large town so not a great deal of off-roading going on!)

Any advice gratefully received!

OP posts:
hercules · 26/01/2004 13:11

I am also looking to get a puschair in the next couple of months. I cant give advise as still considering myself. Do let me know what you go for and why.

elliott · 26/01/2004 13:23

I have the triumph and I'd say it fits all your criteria (though I have not extensively road tested the raincover - I never seem to be out in the buggy when it is raining ) Don't know what else the quest adds. ds1 is 25 months and doesn't really sleep in the pushchair anymore, so reclining position isn't an issue for us. Small wheels haven't bothered me either!

hana · 26/01/2004 13:35

imo, I think the Chicco ones are quite cheaply made. You get what you pay for really. We had bought a Chicco stroller (I think same as you're thinking of) and twice it broke ( wheels once, zippers once) after the second time we replaced it with a MacClaren Volo. Love it, have had no problems at all. The wheels are small, but we use it mostly around the city and use the 2-in-one out in parks etc. Hope that helps
hana

Gumboot · 26/01/2004 13:56

Chicco xploreer - a friend had one for all of 3 weeks then her ds put his foot straight through the rain cover, Argos were great about it and even had a laugh with my friend about poor workman ship and how only a man with no children would ever design a buggy that a child could put his foot through - worth mentioning that the child was all of 9 months at the time.

Gumboot · 26/01/2004 13:57

As for the Toledo bah, read "a leg to stand on" that's my experience with the toledo, although it's never tipped up on me.........

nutcracker · 26/01/2004 14:17

I was going to buy a triumph until a friend bought one and had troublw with the raincover. The holes in it where it is supposed to fit onto the frame just aren't big enough.

Original poster
marthamoo · 26/01/2004 14:38

I decided to go for the Triumph (before I read your post, nutty ) I ordered it from Mothercare (thus incurring a £3.95 P&P charge) just because you can get it in RED online (only have it in black in store). Don't tell my dh....

Will let you know what I think, hercules.

OP posts:
misdee · 26/01/2004 23:14

i have the triumph as my 'car' buggy. i love it. the shopping basket is useless tho, and dont take your kid out b4 u remove the bags off the handles. i find it steers pretty well, the raincover is fiddly to put on but then most maclarens raincovers are the same. i have it in red too with the 2 silver stripes on it. so much nicer than the other colours.

misdee · 26/01/2004 23:16

want to add, i tried all the strollers out in the mothercare world and altho it was slightly more than i wanted to pay it did steer better than the others ( i didnt try the quest or techno out as was far too much on a 2nd buggy). and it folds up fairly small and is light to carry which is great for getting in and out the car.

Original poster
marthamoo · 27/01/2004 15:34

Thanks misdee - I'm quite excited now waiting for it to arrive. Does that make me very sad?

OP posts:
nutcracker · 27/01/2004 15:38

Not as sad as me, cos i'm excited for you
Still haven't decided on my next one yet. Am trying to get a bargain off ebay.

misdee · 05/02/2004 21:43

has it arrived yet?

i havent seen anyone with a red one since i got mine, have seen the blue and grey(????) which just dont look as funky lol.

nutcracker · 05/02/2004 21:45

Ooooh yeah, tell us please

misdee · 05/02/2004 21:51

nutty, i think we are 'sad'

nutcracker · 05/02/2004 21:54

Yes very. I am currently trying to find a reason to buy a 3 wheeler. I absolutly hated them when they first came out but i found a really good sturdy one at asda the other day for 60 quid and i'm so tempted. Trouble is i don't drive and wouldn't fancy p***g everyone off by taking it on the bus. I could walk to most of the places i go to, including the town centre, so i would be getting more exercise, what do you think ????

misdee · 05/02/2004 21:57

i went into mothercare th eother day and saw their new 3-wheelers and am so tempted. the one i have is now 3years old but is in perfect working order and i cant justify spending another £120 on a buggy. me and mieow made another woman laugh by saying i should remove a wheel on my 3 wheeler so i HAD to buy a new one. arent we mad.
how big is the one in asda? does it have a swivel wheel, as that is a most for manoverabilty.

misdee · 05/02/2004 21:57

and i do walk more if i use the 3 wheeler as its lovely to push.

nutcracker · 05/02/2004 22:01

Can't remember if it had swivel wheel or not. I pushed it up and down the ailse a few times and it was lovely to push. I am just so addicted. My raincover is knackered on ds's pushchair so it will have to go (no i can't just get a new raincover, thats boring). I even asked my DD1 who's 6 for her opinion on it today....I said 'shall we buy a 3 wheeler pushchair ?' and she said 'why?' so i said 'because i want one' and she said ' oh go on then'.

misdee · 05/02/2004 22:06

that reminds me on when iwas on holiday last year. i'd forgotton the raincover for dd2 buggy, so went to buy a raincover. but it £20 for a raincover, and isaw a graco citisport plus fpr £100 with raincover, so got that instead. in my defence the old buggy was cheap, and the handles were too short for my dh so he couldnt push it, this one had adjustable handlebars and is lovely and padded.

nutcracker · 05/02/2004 22:10

Thats just what i'd have done Well we could be addicted to worse things. Dp said i can get the 3 wheeler if i like (was going to anyway). Of course i will need a really lightwieight buggy too incase i do need to go anywhere on the bus. That said i do have 2 in the cupboard that i could use foir that.

Original poster
marthamoo · 05/02/2004 22:14

You two are pushchair mad

Yes, it came really fast (within a couple of days) and I love it. It is so LIGHT! Really easy to push and ds2 can kick things much more easily than in the Trekking. I didn't use it for the first few days as it was last week when the snow came and I didn't want to get it dirty

I can tell the Mums in the playground at pick-up time are v. jealous of my snazzy red Triumph

Definitely the last one ever ever ever though.

OP posts:
misdee · 05/02/2004 22:16

the only drawback with the triumph is the shopping basket. shame its so small and when dd23 is asleep and the seat is reclined i cant get a thing in it. at least the graco has a large basket for a dinky buggy.

and yup we are mad. but i dont drink or smoke anymore so can afford it. just. lol

Original poster
marthamoo · 05/02/2004 22:17

misdee - you have twenty-three daughters ?

OP posts:
misdee · 05/02/2004 22:20

yeah one for each year of my life and i put them all in one buggy. hehehe. sorry only have 2 dd, so should read dd2. lol

Original poster
marthamoo · 05/02/2004 22:22

I was really impressed then

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